


We All Grow In Our Own Way

by that_vile_skulduggery



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recovery, Team Bonding, Team Feels, Team Fluff, Team as Family, Trust
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2016-05-24
Packaged: 2018-06-10 13:22:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6958129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/that_vile_skulduggery/pseuds/that_vile_skulduggery
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Avengers learn a little at a time about Spiderman, each in their own way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We All Grow In Our Own Way

Peter Parker was staring at his hands. Clint kept his shoulder pressed against the doorframe, peering at him from the dark hall. It was 3am, and really, Clint had expected the kid to be asleep- or at least out doing his thing. But the boy was simply sat at his desk, gazing down at his loosely open palms.

Clint suppressed the urge to shift uncomfortably. It was a miracle Peter hadn’t sensed him yet, and he wasn’t sure how long things would continue to go as well as they had. He was hardly breathing- it was tricky to keep a balance between calculation, observation, and the zen-like emptiness that allowed him to stay so still. He missed his wife. The hall was chilly. He wasn’t even sure why he was here.

No, wait; he was.

In a few years time- far too few- his children would be the same age as Peter. The thought of them going through what Peter went through made him feel sick, actually, physically sick. And it was possible. One day he might just have to disappear, like this kids father, or die- like his uncle. How was Clint to know what would happen to the renowned agent Hawkeyes family once he was taken care of? Would his kids end up fighting for their lives? Fighting with even the aspect of a normal life?

He needed to know, he needed to see and feel and hope that even if the absolute worst happened, they would still have a chance. To be happy. To feel safe. Peter sat staring at his hands, not knowing that he was the scrying pool in which Clint had chosen to look. If Peter had known, perhaps he would have made more of an effort to stop his fingers trembling.

Clint left after a few minutes. He could have waited until Parker had finally dozed off, done a bit of investigating. But suddenly the bed, the neatly hung clothes, the overflowing desk- all lit with a warm orange light from the bedside table- it felt too private. Soft and gentle. The room was cradling its occupant. No matter what he seemed to be outside of this place, he needed the comfort of somewhere to go home to. He needed room to be a kid again.

Clint kicked himself just a little later for being such a broody, maternal son-of-a-bitch, but the feeling of imposing on that place- that time; that moment, without Peter's permission still somehow sat at the back of his throat like a bad oyster when he thought of it. Besides, there were better ways to get to know someone. Maybe it was time he put aside his secret-agent habits. He was technically on a break after all.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first part of what I'm hoping to be a series of one-shot style chapters I might expand on later. Its also the first thing I've ever posted on here and kind of an experiment, haven't even properly read it over...


End file.
